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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402019">Morning Rituals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/steampunkunicorn/pseuds/steampunkunicorn'>steampunkunicorn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tian and Garto [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Former Slave Anakin Skywalker, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Tatooine Slave Culture, Worldbuilding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:21:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>574</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402019</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/steampunkunicorn/pseuds/steampunkunicorn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Padawan Anakin Skywalker preparing for the day ahead, as he was taught to by his mother.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker &amp; Shmi Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tian and Garto [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>299</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Morning Rituals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, so... This is not what I would normally write as a published work. But, I recently rewatched the prequels. That led me to wanting to read fic, which led to the amazing slave culture tag. I absolutely adore all of the fics I have read involving this and cannot get enough. That said, I also thought about different interpretations and before I knew it, I was creating a history for an order of former slaves that run an underground railroad on Tatooine. Having not been inspired for a while (yay depression!) I needed to get some of it out, but I didn't want to create an epic story that I would peter out on and leave unfinished (I did this with a GOT story on another website. It got to be around 300 pages and was maybe the first third.) Because of this, I wanted to try for a shorter fic. So, we have a simple morning for Anakin in my worldbuilding.</p><p>I apologise in advance if there is any resemblance to more prominent fics. I tried to do an original take and any resemblance is by accident.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anakin woke before the sun. This was not out of the ordinary, but it still brought a smile to his face. He had been so tired when returning the night before, he’d been worried that he might have missed it.</p><p>Rising from his bed, he stretched widely and began dressing. Flicking his Padawan braid, he glanced at the window, ready for the sun to crest.</p><p>
  <em>“We wake each morning to give thanks, Ani.” The warm tones of the Slave Heart’s Language flowed over him as he struggled to wake. </em>
  <em>“Tian and his sister sun, Garto give us life.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“But they’re so hot. They scorch us. What about sun sickness?” Warm hands ran over his hair. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You know the story of their birth, Ani. You know why they blaze so brightly.” Soft chiding tones hit him as he was picked up. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know. They blaze in defiance, bound to Tato like the slaves are bound to their Masters.” He recited, his words slurring with tiredness. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Exactly. They suffer, just as we suffer. Tian and Garto were never meant to be so close to us. Every time a slave suffers from their effects, they are heartbroken. But to dim themselves would be giving up. So, we must not give up either. And that is why we thank them each morning.” A kiss is placed on his nose.</em>
</p><p>“I give thanks to you, Klaato, for bringing life.” Finding out the name of Coruscant's sun was one of the most important items of research. Anakin had spent a full month looking through ancient myths, obscure and confusing, using every spare moment between Jedi lessons. It had been worth it, though, to keep the tradition alive.</p><p>“May you blaze brightly.” He kneeled, facing the window, arms open in supplication, head high. He had seen freemen take this position and had adapted it into his routine. “May you watch over your people. May you consider me, a child of twin suns, to be under your protection.” He wasn’t sure if that part was right, but the freemen that traveled never spoke of what traditions they kept, especially if they left home.</p><p>
  <em>“We keep these traditions close to our heart. That means to never discuss them where the Masters can hear.” His chin was held. Mom was serious. “We use our traditions to connect with our family. All slaves are family. We are connected through the brightness of Tian and Garto, through the open love of Riko, and through the sacrifice given by the Walker of the Skies. Without them, we are only property. That is why we continue keep these traditions close and keep them secret. Without them, we are no better than the beasts used for labor. We are slaves, yes, but we are also people.” His chin was let go, but he could still feel her eyes. </em>
</p><p>After supplication, he placed a cup of water, desert berries he traded for, and a carved krayt made out of some japor he managed to get on the floor in front of the window. He knew that these offerings were not right for a city planet’s sun, but he couldn’t find anything on what was acceptable in the last two years he had been a Padawan.</p><p>Seeing the sun had risen fully, he finished with his ritual, giving a smile to the light. As he collected his homework, an image popped into his mind...</p><p>His mother smiling at the Twin Suns.</p>
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